Weeks after they stalked and murdered African American jogger Ahmaud Arbery on February 23 in Brunswick, Georgia, father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael were arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault last night. Had it not been for a video of the murder released just days ago, the two might never have been arrested and charged.
The McMichaels claim that they thought Arbery resembled a suspect in neighborhood break-ins, despite the fact that only one burglary was reported to police from January 1 to February 23. Arbery was an avid jogger who ran through neighborhoods in his community. A major part of this story involves the nearly criminal negligence of local law enforcement in not properly investigating the shooting / murder, owing to the senior McMichael's investigatory background with local district attorneys.
This case is particularly reminiscent of the February 2012 slaying of unarmed, 17 year-old Trayvon Martin by a racist vigilante, who assumed Martin was involved in criminal activity because he was African American and was wearing a hoodie. That's all it takes in these days of Trumpism for a white supremacist to take an innocent life over the color of his skin.
